Short Film

Earlier this year we were offered the opportunity to review R&F Entertainment’s upcoming short film, Maturing Youth. Since publishing our review we’ve also had the wonderful opportunity to interview the film’s lead Award-nominated lead, Sean A Kaufman, and its director, Divoni Simon. Now, we’re pleased to exclusively share with you some photos and interviews from the film’s world premiere, which was held October 21st, 2018 in New York City.

At the event, R&F Entertainment hosted sit down interviews with the stars of the film to chat about their career, dreams, and inspirations. Following the award ceremony at the film festival, the stars had individual standing interviews on the red carpet with TV host and interviewer, Award-nominated actress, producer, director, author, and entrepreneur Janet Miranda. Below you’ll find the red carpet interview with award-winning actress Darleen Fontaine and Rae’l Ba, where they discuss their characters in the film and working on the film.

The event had over 120 attendees from family, friends, crew members, and the general public. Individuals attending the event flew in as far as Florida and the west coast. Some even travelled over 20 hours by vehicle to attend. The screening room was filled to capacity and was sold out.

The screening opened with a round of applause once the films production company’s logo [R&F Entertainment] appeared right at the start. Once the ending credits came up, a second round of applause roared through the screening room. The audience laughed and enjoyed the special bloopers during the end credits and finally had a standing ovation at its completion. Following the first world screening of the film, the cast and director were on stage during an exclusive Q&A with the audience.

Maturing Youth was nominated for Best Film, Divoni Simon was nominated for Best Director, Sean A Kaufman was nominated for Best Actor, Kim Paris was nominated for Best Actress, Terrence Keene was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Darleen Rae Fontaine was nominated and won Best Supporting Actress. A total of 6 nominations and 1 win.

Each cast member had their own specific time slots for Facebook Live and Instagram Live recordings at the event. Each of their individual recordings can be found on their individual Facebook and Instagram pages.

R&F Entertainment went live on the films official social media pages, Facebook and Instagram, for the win of Darleen Rae Fontaine’s award for her performance in the film. Her speech can be found directly on Maturing Youth’s Facebook page.

Below you’ll see the glamorous cast and crew on the red carpet at the film’s premiere.

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All Photo Credit: R&F Entertainment

The film is currently going through the New York Film Festival circuits before making its Los Angeles premiere in Spring 2019. The film will make it overseas to its international film festival run in 2020, with a projected distribution deal to release the film to the public by the holidays in 2020. We’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date with the film’s festival run.

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Inspired by the real life story of Ian, a young boy who was born with cerebral palsy, Abel Goldfarb’s animated short film about the titular boy is a sweet and profound revelation, even for a child’s perspective, where its strength lies. It tells of a boy’s struggle to make friends at the playground, using unique stop-motion animation and CGI to bring Ian’s obstacles, the mobile and emotional, to life. It’s a push for awareness through universal imagery and only invites kindness into the world around it, as portrayed in Ian’s will to connect. Just shy of ten minutes, this endearing short film is of the firm belief that misconceptions and stigmas, especially at a young age, can be diminished in the face of benevolence.

Discrimination to Ian’s incapacitation and bullying keep him at bay when all he wants is to play with the kids in the gated off playground. He musters up the courage to integrate himself with the others, hanging by shyly, until he’s suddenly whisked away into the wind and back through the gates, shattering into little blocks and reforming back to his wheelchair. This happens a few times, Ian will peek the chances to feel normal, be perceived by the kids as such, and play with no limitations, but inclusion doesn’t need to come at a cost to Ian’s identity.

Eventually the kids, one by one, begin to notice him and lend a hand so he can stay without his wheelchair (before getting pulled toward the fences once more), but that’s far from the point of what the animated short is trying to communicate. It’s not exactly Ian’s determined bravery that finally wins the other kids over, but it’s the integration of putting yourself out there and freeing yourself of those doubts, not to be overshadowed. This closely works as a teaching moment for the younger audience as it smoothes out the social divide kids sometimes make around that age. This film means so much more when it comes to the mentality of young children. It’s easy for them to pick sides, brush others off, be occupied with their own matters and games, and so Ian’s ability to socialize and play with his able-bodied peers suffers…but it doesn’t have to. When kids interact and spend time with each other, the companionship is equivalent to acceptance with no barriers.

And speaking of barriers, Goldfarb’s short is without spoken dialogue, a creative decision that welcomes the interpretation of other backgrounds. Produced by Oscar winner and two-time Emmy winner Juan José Campanella, this small story for a better tomorrow brings you down to the bare pillars of humanity, lending a hand of its own to shatter petty judgement worldwide. Lack of knowledge and awareness about the condition even in the country of Argentina raises action for change, backed by an organization that’s willing to plant the effort in.

A 2019 Oscar-qualifier for Animated Short, Ian is doing well to win the hearts of Academy voters and audiences alike. Released from Argentina with the help and funding of companies and nonprofits like Mundoloco CGI and Fundación Ian, an organization that raises awareness and further enriches the lives of children with cerebral palsy, the short film is all-embracing to understanding. In part due to its absence of spoken words, the short emphasizes to the viewers just how far kindness, understanding, and patience can cross the fences of discrimination and bullying, especially in the lives of our children who are so perceptive to these behaviors. The film’s description says it best: Inclusion is vital for our society, it makes us richer, more diverse and more just.

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Talia Shea Levin’s latest project E T A celebrates community and identity as one woman (Alexis Floyd) combats the need to isolate herself at a bus stop and instead begins to reach out to those around her. Through song and dance, the short video creates an all too real narrative of feeling alone in a crowded space, not feeling like you’re enough for the mold society creates, and even that lingering self doubt. Like breaking the glass ceiling of social confines, our leading gal opens herself up to the community, segueing into a gracefully choreographed dance that represents the power and potential of individuality, and even the strength of women working together.

This is the second dance narrative film collaboration between Levin and Floyd, having teamed up previously on an unofficial music video project for Alabama Shakes’ song “Gimme All Your Love,” a video that’s garnered over 36 thousand views on Vimeo. Alexis Floyd, who’s so masterful at inviting the camera to her choreography, is full of life and wonder in her performance work. Here in Levin’s non-traditional short, performance art takes soul by the hand and guides us to a divine sense of belonging, to yourself and to the little parts that make you who you are. The rich choreography, combined with facets of film and even an originally composed song (“Enough,” by performer/actress Alexis Floyd), creates a blossoming turn of events for Floyd’s character, a woman who is fighting the urge to remain isolated and instead uses that energy to invite positivity.

E T A’s supporting cast of dancers fill the room, twirling, leaping, and welcoming the change of pace. The community that forms onscreen and in our hearts is both a testament to Levin’s narrative guidance and Floyd’s charismatic, felt performance. It makes a viewer reach within themselves and take flight. The result is a self-satisfaction like nothing else, reminding us that we can take the simplest of risks and be heard, something that may otherwise seem insurmountable to some. When we decide to open our hearts and battle isolation and choose a collective support system, miraculous things can happen. What’s communicated in Levin’s project is reinvigorating. It’s a collaborative ensemble of dancers, musicians, and filmmakers all coming together to create. Much like its production, the finished product is a unique collection, merging dance, sound, and film for big causes. It marches on like a creative protest against division and even doubt, the veiled force against us all.

E T A is a form of unity, confidence, and empowerment. Talia Shea Levin embraces many arts to tell us a condensed moment of time we all come to grips with and it works on the soul. Wonderfully edited and paced, the short bounces off the screen and interacts with you, as lush as its message. Not only will its original track have you humming all day, but it’s a constant reminder to never sell yourself short or doubt your worth, and that’s a message art can never ignore.

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Earlier this year we were given the exciting opportunity to review R&F Entertainment’s latest short film, Maturing Youth. The film will be premiering on October 21st at The Cutting Room International Short Film Festival, so we chatted with the film’s lead, Sean A Kaufman, to learn more about him and his time on the set of the film!

Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers…

Sure would! Hey everyone! Sean A. Kaufman here, but you can call me Seanzie – I play Roger in R&F Entertainment’s upcoming short film Maturing Youth. I’m a born and raised New Yorker (you get extra points if you’ve heard of Staten Island, and you win if you’ve ever been there!), a graduate of Dartmouth College and then The Maggie Flanigan Studio where I trained as an actor, and a lover of dogs of all breeds and sizes.

Maturing Youth is your first role in a short film – What was it like stepping onto the set on day one?

It was! And because of that, and this is probably going to sound so trite, but oh well, it was an experience I’ll always cherish very dearly. I drove out to location in Hempstead, Long Island in my 2005 Honda CR-V (more on that later, I promise), wheeled my suitcase up to the house full of excitement, and finally laid eyes on the halls I’d imagined walking for so long already. The first moments on a stage, once it’s fully designed, or a set when your eyes either confirm or deny your assumptions about what you’ve read are always full of wonder. Realness meets your daydreams and suddenly you can see the scenes in your mind with vivid clarity – and that’s what it was like for me as I toured the home we filmed in. I relished having so much detail to take in, from cartoonish kiddie magnets on the refrigerator to charming fruit-themed wall decorations, and a very reflective wall unit that I immediately (and unnecessarily) began to worry about, with respect to filming. The few hours leading up to filming were filled with an electric excitement for me, meeting all the crew members, going over safety and ground rules. I couldn’t wait to don my costume and makeup, get mic’d up, and start rolling. And yes, that was certainly make-up. I should hope I don’t normally look so druggy.

Did you have any previous acting experience before landing the role of Roger Maturing Youth?

Yes, I’ve been acting for years, in a sense, but this was a new sort of professional milestone for me. I started when I was a first year in high school, bitten by the theatre bug, doing two musicals each year, and in college I learned long-form improv comedy from my troupe The Dog Day Players. My senior year, I also did two plays, and they were really what launched me into life as actor. Soon after I graduated, I had an absolute blast doing summer stock theatre in New London, New Hampshire and that fall I did regional theatre in neighboring Vermont. The next year I spent my time back home auditioning as much possible and doing small plays. During this period I realized I’d need to start training seriously, which was how I ended up under the watchful eyes of Charlie Sandlan, Karen Chamberlain, and others at The Maggie Flanigan Studio for two years. Maturing Youth is not only my first film, it was also my first audition after graduating from that program.

Your character Roger is a care-free, weed smoking layabout. Are there any characters from film/TV that you used as inspiration for playing this role?

That he is, and yes, I had all sorts of inspiration. First and foremost, our writer/director Divoni Simon asked me to study The Big Lebowski for inspiration and character development. Fun and helpful as that was, I also turned to Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) from Breaking Bad. I found him to be particularly useful, albeit much more… entrepreneurial than Roger. I made it a point not to copy anyone; anyway, I’m of the belief that try as one might, it’s almost impossible to copy others’ acting since any actions you execute must play through you and your acting instrument, making it your own. As flattering as it has been to hear myself or my Roger compared to a well-known actor in a well-known comedy, I still take pride in the uniqueness of the Roger I’ve created. He’s definitely a far cry from Sean as the actor, yet hopefully believable enough for the audience to buy him as a real person.

What did you find most enjoyable about filming Maturing Youth?

There are a few different kinds of things I enjoyed – and I don’t want to cop out and just say “everything!” When it came to filming the scenes, our Director of Photography, Zach [Mayor], was really collaborative with my cast mates and me. Most of our ideas worked well together, and he always found great ways to motivate camera movement and action. I learned a lot from working with him. I also really enjoyed working with the crew. In less than three days we shot a whole film, so we became close. I was well prepared for most of my filming and wasn’t too worried about losing focus, so I enjoyed chatting with everyone during our breaks, and hopefully making them feel appreciated (because if anyone works hard, it’s a film crew). Lastly, and this was something that only occurred to me once we had finished filming, but the effect that this story has on the audience from the themes floating to the surface in Maturing Youth make me so proud to have been part of it. One crew member privately revealed to me how watching the scenes unfold as we filmed had such a visceral effect on him due to the nature of his relationship with his own son. Learning that this was more than just a role for me to play and feel and stick on a resume made it take on an entirely new meaning and sense of accomplished art. Maturing Youth is a funky story with lots of hidden depth just waiting to be experienced. The same way Roger is surprised by his status as a father, I felt I had just been granted responsibility for delivering the message this wonderful story holds.

Do you feel like you learned a lot during this shoot?

Let’s put it this way: for the three days we filmed, there was rarely a moment I wasn’t learning something. There are some things that seem to make sense that I learned on a film shoot, like what a focus puller does, or why a certain kind of makeup is applied, or that Craft Services is your best friend, lord, and savior. But then there are straight up life lessons you learn. Remember when I told you I’d have more to say about my car? Once we finished and I was packing up my car, I decided to drive it up the street to make it more convenient to load up in front of the house. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk! I thought, wow this street must be bumpy, but no! Apparently I had run over a huge nail when I parked three mornings earlier, and sure enough that tire was flatter than a pizza (more on that later, too!). Thankfully, those friends I made on the crew came to my aid. Apollo Figueras and Ray Adamavage taught me how to change a flat! Thanks again, guys. You are gentlemen and scholars. And in case anyone is wondering why, after filming a whole movie about fatherhood, my father hadn’t already taught me that important skill, don’t worry – he did; it had just been so long since I needed to do it that I forgot. Whoopsies!

Do you have any advice for anyone else who may be just starting out in the film industry?

More broadly than just for film, for any actor, I’d drill the point that it’s so important to get good acting training. Learn what it is that we are doing here. Learn that it’s hard work and soul searching and dedication to an art form thousands of years old. Learn that it’s so, so, so much more than learning lines and looking the part. Learn that it means a lifetime of learning!

And please, be considerate. Be nice. Actors get treated pretty well all the time, so the least you can do to give back is be kind to those also working on a project, in whatever capacity it may be. They’re people with feelings, hopes, and dreams just like you.

Do you have any future projects in the pipeline you can tell us about?

Yes! As of the time of this interview, I’m in rehearsals for the world premiere of the play Suddenly, produced by Live Source Theatre Company, based on the 1954 Frank Sinatra film of the same title. We run Oct. 5-20, 2018 at HERE Arts Center in NYC. I’m also starring in a feature length independent horror film still in production, and have assistant directed fellow Maturing Youth cast mate Terrence Keene in the feature film he co-wrote, Joaquin and Luke. Lots to be excited about at the moment!

What’s your dream role?

When they re-boot The Office and need someone out there to contend with Michael, Dwight, Jim, and the rest – that guy! I know I need to show the British version some love, too, and I promise I will! I just love the American version so much I’d sell my soul to be a part of it.

We like to end our interviews with the most important question of all – does pineapple belong on pizza?

Ah, back to pizza! Well, I’m a NYC boy and have already mentioned one preference, FLATNESS, none of that Chicago deepdish nonsense. Sorry Chi-town, I’m sure I’ll love it when I get there and try it. But I have tried pineapple on a pizza (Italian friends, it’s ok – I never had it again, I swear!). It’s like most things you try in college: done while sleep-deprived, probably harmless, but mostly for the story. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it, either. When it comes to pizza, I’m somewhat of a purist, but you would be too if you were born in Brooklyn and raised on Staten Island. But I’ll tell you this: I love the idea of throwing pineapple on a pizza when it comes to acting. When you’re in rehearsal or filming and have an excess of time – try things! Make fun choices! Screw convention – you can discover something new and potentially unlock something great! If you’ve seen Maturing Youth already, the bag-diaper was my pineapple on a pizza! So I hope you enjoy!

Thanks Jumpcut Online for a great interview!

We’d like to thank Sean again for taking the time to chat with us and we’re excited for Maturing Youth‘s premiere at the end of the month! Keep your eyes peeled on our site and social feeds as we chat to more of the cast and crew of the film!

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We’re excited to share the latest trailer for R&F Entertainment‘s latest horror short, Defarious, which is directed by Chase Michael Pallante. The short has been hugely popular during its festival run, picking up multiple awards in the process.

“DEFARIOUS A multi award winning short horror film from award winning director and sound designer Chase Michael Pallante and the multi award winning entertainment production company R&F Entertainment. A young woman is tormented by her nightmares and they are beginning to manifest so strongly she becomes disillusioned between the world of her imagination and what is truly reality. An inspiration from childhood fears, this 80’s tone short horror film brings back the old feel and the new sound of what scares you the most.”

This festival hit is released later this month, and we’ve been lucky enough to be offered to opportunity to review the film – so keep your eyes peeled on our social feeds for when it’s up!

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Earlier this year we were fortunate enough to be offered the chance to review a screener of a fantastic short film called Maturing Youth. The cast and crew are gearing up for the film’s premiere at the first annual Cutting Room International Short Film Festival next month and we were given the opportunity to interview the film’s director, Divoni Simon.

Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers…

Hello to all who reads this, my name is Divoni Simon. I’m a 21-year-old filmmaker who lives in Long Island, NY and “Maturing Youth” from R&F Entertainment is my official debut short film. I’ve been writing screenplays through my teenage years to now, starting from freshmen year of high school. So far, the road has been long and tough, but I’m glad everything is finally coming to fruition.

You both wrote and directed Maturing Youth, which marks your directorial debut – Can you tell us what inspired this story?

The main theme I wanted to nail was responsibility in the oak wood of thought. I was looking at my life from the outside-in and didn’t particularly favour the lack of structure my life was leading. Especially, in the responsibility department. Just the same as the lead character, I also had a fear of maturing and a self-proclaimed “Peter-Pan syndrome”. This wasn’t the first short nor feature I’ve written, but this is the only story where my inner-self was vulnerable to this extent and I wanted to create a film that was honest in all ways. And, the process of the film’s production was very cleansing for me.

How long did the shoot last for this short?

Two and half days. In the original draft, we were looking at 47-pages worth of content, but we omitted unnecessary bits throughout pre-production, during filming and also in editing. I’m very proud of the cast and crew on having the tenacity of pushing their limits when it came to this project.

Were there any unexpected challenges you faced during filming?

Everything was hectic, but the team was well prepared thanks to the producer [Chase Michael Pallante]. Thankfully, nothing catastrophic happened during those two and half days. Mostly the problems, before shooting were monetary expenses. Secondly, was finding a location to film inside of so the answer to that was to shoot the movie inside my own home. I went through about twenty jobs just to raise funding for this project. Then, on-set, you had your usual directorial stresses of keeping the boat afloat along with the producer.

What did you find most enjoyable about filming Maturing Youth?

Every single second from it. Even, back in pre-production when we were in the middle of auditions and rehearsals. I was delighted to work with the actors on improving every nook and cranny of their characters and using their suggestions to better craft their characters so that the experience could be more universal for all involved. As far as scene-wise, I personally enjoyed filming all the argument scenes between Roger, played by Sean A. Kaufman and Sadie, played by Kim Paris. They both had an energy that felt like you’re watching an intense match of hot-potato.

Are there any directors in particular that inspire you and your work, both directing and screenwriting?

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Have you ever scrolled through Facebook when the algorithm recommends someone from your past? Sometimes you feel happy, sometimes upset or even angry. We’ve all been there, and Louisa Fielden’s latest short film, People You May Know, centres around this very topic. After seeing ex-boyfriend James pop up as a suggested friend, Emily decides to add him and invites him to a coffee shop for a catch up eleven years after their break up. Set predominately in the cafe, we watch as the two of them discuss their past, and dark secrets are uncovered.

This is an incredibly emotionally charged film that deals with some upsetting topics. I personally found it very hard to watch but that’s a testament to how good the script and acting is. Despite the fact there’s only two actors, both Hart and Timms give excellent performances that hold your full attention for the entire duration. Over the course of the narrative we learn more and more about these two characters, in a similar fashion to reading all about somebody on social media, and we begin to feel like we’re part of these character’s lives.

I really loved the intrusive nature of the camera and it was one of my favourite things about People You May Know. It felt like I was watching real people, talking about a very real and raw former relationship, and I was someone listening in when I wasn’t supposed to be. The film places you in that cafe, locks the door, and forces you to listen to every word even when you don’t want to. I was truly captivated by this short film and can’t praise the screenwriting enough for that. I thought the pacing was just right, and the dialogue packs an almighty punch when needed.

With this in mind, I appreciated the way these difficult topics were handled; in a way that emphasises their serious nature but doesn’t become too graphic. The incident that Emily recounts to James and to us, the viewer, has scarred her for life and is both physically and emotionally damaging. The way she spoke about it brought me to tears, as I expect was the intention. She is a hugely complex character with complex emotions that are often disregarded. Although she is only on screen for a few minutes compared to hours, we learn so much about her and her past.

People You May Know is harrowing but I would definitely recommend it if you feel you’re able to watch. With a runtime of 16 minutes, it’s a quick watch but something that will stay with you for a very long time once the credits roll. It’s a stunningly made, realistic and heartbreaking short about love, loss, trauma and confrontation. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.

Lucy’s Rating:

You can keep up to date with Louisa Fielden via her website and Twitter!

Fans have been clamoring for a major motion picture release for the Uncharted game series by Naughty Dog. In 2017 it was confirmed that Tom Holland, our new friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, signed up for the role to play Nathan Drake in an upcoming release by Sony Pictures. However, it is still in the developing stages and some fans simply cannot wait any longer.

Enter Nathan Fillion, known for playing Mal in Serenity and the short-lived TV series Firefly, as well as Richard Castle in the TV series Castle, and writer-director Allan Ungar (Gridlocked) to deliver the fans an entertaining take on the character in a live action 15-minute short film. Those unfamiliar with the game should know Uncharted is an action adventure game series similar to the Tomb Raider series and the Indiana Jones films.

Allan’s direction in the short film shines with some smooth camerawork, clean edits, and looks very much like a professionally made film. Allan does a fine job capturing the action, which is fun and well choreographed. Being a film based off of the game, Allan made sure to include scenes from the game. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Allan stated, “Almost everything Nathan does in that fight is seen in one of the four games”. In addition, some scenes have a video game like quality, for example, in an action sequence where Nathan jumps out a window, he picks himself up from the ground and the camera pans around to where his back is centered in the screen as if he’s ready for the gamer to guide his next action.

Anytime you have Nathan Fillion in a film you know he’s going to deliver the charm and humour he is known for, and he does so in spades. It was a great idea to include an interrogation scene as it gives a chance for Nathan to show off his acting chops. It probably helps that the Nathan and Allan are fans of the video game series as their passion pours onto the screen. Elena Fisher and Victor “Sully” Sullivan are supporting characters from the game and are included in this film as well, played by Mircea Monroe (Magic Mike) and Stephen Lang (Don’t Breathe) who are solid for the short time they are given.

Unfortunately, I am not familiar enough with the video game series to fully state whether or not Allan and Nathan capture the full essences of the character and story, but word from the masses are very positive stating the film does capture the spirit of the game. What I can state is that I was very much entertained and would love to see more from this crew if they are given another opportunity